Deschampsia
genus of plants
Deschampsia is a genus of plants in the grass family Poaceae, commonly known as hair grass or tussock grass. The genus is widespread across many countries.
The genus is named for French physician and naturalist Louis Auguste Deschamps (1765–1842).
Deschampsia species are used as food plants by the larvae of some species of Lepidoptera, including antler moth, the clay, clouded-bordered brindle, common wainscot, dark arches, dusky brocade, shoulder-striped wainscot, smoky wainscot and wall.
Deschampsia sometimes grow in boggy acidic formations, an example of which is the Portlethen Moss, Scotland.
Deschampsia antarctica is the world's most southern monocot, and one of only two flowering plants of Antarctica.
Some species, such as D. cespitosa, are grown as ornamental garden plants.
Species
As of November 2024, Plants of the World Online accepted the following species:
Deschampsia airiformis (Steud.) Benth. & Hook.f. ex B.D.Jacks.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Deschampsia” as genus of plants. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the science & nature register because the source frames it as genus of plants. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
The date and method of observation matter as much as the stated conclusion, especially where classification or consensus has changed. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 21, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q157536. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1765, 1842 and 2024.
Current terminology should not be projected backward without checking the classification used when the underlying evidence was created. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
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Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Deschampsia”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Deschampsia primary sources, Deschampsia archive and Deschampsia research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
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This entry incorporates text from “Deschampsia” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.